In June of 2004, I had given birth to my first son just 8 weeks prior. Six weeks after having him I was forced to return to work in a new role as a Regional Manager; we were young broke parents with no additional paid maternity leave left. The first couple of weeks back to work were a complete blur between night feedings, conference calls, nanny drop offs, bottle cleanings; not to mention the pain and discomfort I was still experiencing after an incredibly long and difficult delivery. The world seemed to be running around me as I stood in a dazed state going through the motions with little idea of when it would all start to get better.
Category Archives: Middle Management
FROM HERO TO ZERO
There is a common saying in sales when one has closed out a profitable fiscal year one day and then the very next day a whole new fiscal year starts. The saying is “From hero to zero”. The close of 2022 should make all of us feel like heroes. Whereas 2020 and 2021 had many challenges as we worked from our home offices and attempted to balance work as it blurred into life. 2022 brought its own special challenges where the comforts of home felt more like a prison at times, and we started exploring outside of our cages once again. The economy slowed, inflation spiked, gas prices soared and when it came to business deals “easy come easy go” became more like “hard to come by and easy to lose”.
NEW TO THE MIDDLE
As a recent resident of the middle, I’ve found it harder than I expected to find my place. I’ve learned a few things along the way, but I am by no means an expert. If you’re new to the middle too, it’s sticky. We’re all a little bit stressed, we’re all a little unsure, but it’s one of the best opportunities I’ve had to really discover myself.
I’ve been with my current company for over 12 years. It was my first home after college, and it feels like home most days. I pride myself on having a deep knowledge of the company and many allies across the business. I count some of them as mentors and friends. I was a highly skilled individual performer, and I thrived in that role.
A DIFFERENT MUSCLE
I was reminded nearly every day this past week that “Management is a different Muscle”; and it is not a muscle that is strong in everyone. It is a muscle that you have to develop and continue to work before it ever becomes toned. Managing people and personalities requires very different skills versus a non-management role. Patience and perseverance come to mind as skills I have repeatedly used recently.
YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL; JUST NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME?
This week I am taking my own advice and keeping my life in balance. Please enjoy a repost of the MOST READ Heart of the Middle blog post. Later this week I will have the pleasure of speaking to a group of professionals on “Having it all is not a destination…”; seems appropriate as I prepare for that event to repost this one and keep things in balance!
I CANNOT DO THIS ALONE
Since I started this blog and support sight back in February, I have posted 30 total blogs; 29 I have written, and one graciously offered anonymous post. I have taken off 1 week in 30 weeks due to some desperately needed family time. Behind the blog scene, I have continued to work a full-time job, joined the advisory board for the Sigmund School of Business and also taken on a leadership role with the global women’s ERG at Glanbia where we will be proudly launching our first ever women’s global mentoring program in a couple of weeks.
There have been 1,400 visitors to this blog site and nearly 3,700 views in just 6 months. I feel like some of the content is resonating and I do believe that there is a need for this type of real, raw and honest discussion. I have kept this site ad free and paid for the domain out of my own pocket all in an effort to make it easy and enjoyable to navigate. Ads distract from a place that I want to be simple, organized and peaceful.
IT IS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW
Way back in 1994 when I attended college, I studied endless days and nights to cram my brain full of knowledge. Knowledge that I had been told I would need in order to be successful in the business career I was pursuing. At the time, I was under the impression that the knowledge and experience would be the most important factor in my success throughout my career. I now know 29 years later that although knowledge is fundamental and important, a successful and more importantly fulfilling career is not based on what you know but rather who you know.
SEPTEMBER CHAOS
September is a beautiful month for great weather in New Jersey. The shore towns are quiet, and the temperatures start to go down to an enjoyable 70 to 80 degrees during the day. Anyone who does not have children in school and also a full-time job probably truly loves September. Since I am a Virgo and my birthday falls in September, I should enjoy it as well. However, for the most part I hate September! School starts back up, fall sports are in full swing and the endless school paperwork and back to school events pile on my calendar like the used wet towels on my kid’s bedroom floors.
LEADERS LISTEN
I have decided that the single most underappreciated and yet most difficult skill to develop as a manager is the skill of listening. Listening is more important than speaking, more important than negotiating, more important than leading. Without the ability to listen, none of the other skills truly matter. A leader that does not listen, leads with only their own thoughts and ideas instead of cultivating the needs and inspiration from their team members. It is like an orchestra conductor conducting from a faraway balcony with noise cancelling headphones and a blindfold. The orchestras sound, feeling, speed, noise level and individual contributions just don’t matter. The result is an off key, out of balance, unenjoyable symposium.
HERSTORY
The last three weeks have detailed the “herstory” of the first ever female Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Hershey Entertainment and Resort Company from 1997. Her honest and vulnerable stories still ring true today. I hope her bravery and brutal honesty have made you laugh, reflect and consider… “What will my story be?”.
In this final reflection on her thoughts from 1997, she shares advice for a woman pursuing a career and family. Her words could be considered as slightly controversial in this day and time, but I cannot help but share what we may all be thinking and only she was brave enough to say all those years ago.
The Heart of the Middle 